Lone Crow
by PrettyInPnk
Summary: You ever look in the mirror and not recognize the person staring back at you. That happens to me a lot lately, and by a lot I mean every day. Who am I? I don't even know anymore. Believe it or not, I use to be fun. I use to laugh and joke and play. That was all before I moved in with Renee, my mother but not really my mother.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

_**Bella Swan**_

_**September 3, 1986**_

_You ever look in the mirror and not recognize the person staring back at you. You wonder…_

_**How did I get here?**_

_**Is this really my life?**_

_**Am I happy?**_

_**Who am I?**_

_That happens to me a lot lately, and by a lot I mean every day. I wake up. Curl and pin my hair to perfection. Put on whatever girly pastel dress and cardigan my mother picked out for me. Eat my breakfast prepared by our chef and ignore the fact that my mother is on her third glass of her 'special' orange juice and already slightly slurring her words. While we both try to ignore my step-father's latest twenty-something conquest sneaking out the front door. Then I get into my white BMW. Drive to school. I meet my boyfriend of three years, James Hunter, so we can walk in together. Which just happens to be what I'm doing right now, waiting on James._

_Every day._

_Same routine._

_So boring._

_Believe it or not, I use to be fun. I use to laugh and joke and play. That was all before I moved in with Renee, my mother._

_My father, Charlie, is the Chief of Police is Seattle and apparently something went down about four years ago. I'm not sure what because Charlie refuses to talk about it. However, I did find out that I was threatened somehow so Charlie felt that it would be best to move me as far away as possible. Lucky for me my mother just happened to live in a small town on the coast of Florida with her new husband, Phil Dwyer, and his son, Emmett Dwyer. So off I went to Forksdale, Florida._

_Don't get me wrong. I was excited to move to Florida. I mean talk about climate change. I was going from cold and gloomy Washington to warm and shiny Florida. The problems started as soon as I stepped off the plane. The woman who met me at the terminal gate was not someone I recognized._

_The mother I remember was…spacy to put it nicely. She would forget things like paying the electricity bill or to replace the milk when it went out of date. I always remember her wearing clothing that flowed and moved with her. She said it made her feel like she had wings and could soar to the highest mountains or swoop through the lowest valley._

_I asked her once if I could fly with her. She responded with "Baby bird, you don't need me to fly. You can do that all on your own."_

_My first thought about my mother when she picked me up from the terminal was that she had crashed and burned. She had easily lost twenty pounds since the last time I saw her making her look fragile and small. She had obviously had work done. No one her age should have skin that smooth or breast that perky. She was wearing a black fitted dress and black pumps. Make-up was caked on her face and her hair was teased sky high. She smelled of booze and expensive perfume. Who was this woman?_

_This was the day I met Renee, my mother, but not really my mother._

_Renee and Phil quickly became my worst nightmare. They had this perfectly little square box they expected me to fit in to become their ideal daughter._

_"**Isabella why do you wear your hair like that? It looks much better like this."**_

_My hair is fine_

_"**Isabella that outfit is not appropriately for a young lady. Change into this."**_

_I like my clothes._

_"**Isabella isn't James such a nice boy. His father is the mayor you know. Ya'll would make such a nice couple."**_

_Not interested._

_"**I know you're against wearing make-up but all the other young ladies your age don't have a problem** **with it. I don't understand why you have to be so difficult."**_

_Face makeup makes me itch._

_"**Isabella don't you think you should try out for cheerleading?"**_

_I have zero athletic ability._

_"**Isabella you should be more involved, can't you join another club?"**_

_I'm already in five not counting cheerleading._

_BLAH. BLAH. BLAH._

_At some point I just got fed up with it and gave in. The clothes aren't so bad, just uncomfortable at time. The make-up does make me look older, but it's a pain to put on in the mornings. James is an excellent boyfriend, and we've grown to be great friends._

_What I really miss is blue jeans. I haven't worn blue jeans in years. I dream about them sometimes. Not even kidding. I literally have dreams where everyone is wearing nothing but denim. It's amazing._

_James is here. Got to go._

* * *

"Hey. Sorry I'm late practice ran late." James gives me a light peck on the cheek and politely takes my hand. I see a few girls give him a firm looking over before glaring at me. Not that I blame them. James is a nice looking all American boy with light blue eye and short blonde hair. He's also the quarterback of our school football team so he's very much in shape.

"It's okay. I've just been writing in the sketchbook you got me. I haven't felt inspired yet so I figured I might as well get some use out of it." He briefly nods his head, but his eyes are glaring at something behind me. I turn around and find myself unable to contain my smile.

He's back.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

"Bella Boo! How has my favorite closest freak been?" I laugh at his flamboyance. Victor has always had a flair for the dramatics. He wrapped his arms around me in an excruciatingly tight hug cause long auburn hair to fall into my face. I swear Vic had better hair than most girls. It smelled better too, like daisies.

He dresses better than most women as well. Today he's wearing a pair of khaki slacks, white loafers, and purple blouse with some sort of geometric print and the first three buttons undone under a white blazer.

"Vic. It's so good to see you. How are you back? I thought your dad sent you to live on your uncle's ranch in Montana." Victor picks at his purple fingernail polish looking bored, but I knew he was just uncomfortable. Best friends know these kinds of things about each other.

"Good ole Judge Runsone realized that not even Montana can turn his gay son straight. I told him that from the beginning, but he rarely ever listens. Plus Uncle Tom banned me from his property after he caught me and his stable hand in a very _compromising_ position." Victor smirks and winks at me.

"I can't listen to this. I'm going inside." James kissed me on the cheek and shoves past Victor before heading toward the school causing Victor to stumble back.

"I'm sorry."

"About Uncle Tom? In my defense I told him not to come in when he knocked. I was busy. It was totally worth it though. However, I have yet to figure out how cowboys get such big packages in such tight jeans. Don't their goodies need to breathe?" I smile up at him sadly while he nonchalantly picks his fingernails. He does that when he's upset but trying to pretend like he's not. "James has never been my biggest fan Bells. You don't need to apologize for anything concerning him or anyone else. I understand why he is the way he is."

"I know but it's still not right." He laughs and takes my hand in his, lacing our fingers and starts to lead me to the school entrance.

"I don't deserve you as a friend little one. Especially since it seems I have left you without a big strong man to escort you into the building. I say we go in together. Unless of course you see a big strong man for me then you're on your own." I pretend to survey the parking lot.

"Sorry. I don't see anyone else with the gayness. They say you can see it from miles away. Guess you're stuck with me."

"You'll do. Maybe you'll attract someone who is interested in learning about this gayness. You know I'm all about spreading the love."

"Well sharing is caring. I feel like it is your gay duty to share your gayness with the world."

"You're right." Victor drops my hand and goes to unbutton his slacks.

"Whoa! What are you doing?" I jerk his hand away.

"Showing everyone my rainbow pecker. Too much?"

"Are you sure they could handle such a sight?"

"You're right. I might poke someone's eye out."

We stood there silently staring at each other before we both burst out laughing.

"I missed you Vic."

"I missed you Smelly Belly." I wrapped my arms around his middle and squeezed him as tight as I could. For the first time in months I felt like I could breathe a little easier.

"I have to get to class." I say to his chest. I refuse to let him go until I absolutely have to.

"Of course you do. Little Miss Perfect can never be late. Didn't you read that in the Little Miss Perfect Handbook? It was right under Remain Pure Until Marriage." I pinched his side and he let out a snort. "Seriously Bells, how is life? I haven't seen or spoken to you in eight month I was cut off from society and sent to Montana to 'cure' my gayness."

Before I can answer the warning bell rings letting us know we have five minutes to get to class so I begrudgingly remove my arms from his waist and turn towards the entrance.

"I'll tell you everything at lunch, and you can tell me how life is back at the Runsone house." I say back to at him as I reach for the door.

"I wouldn't know."

"What?" I snap around to face him.

"I'll explain later. Have a good day Sunshine Bella!" He jerks the door open and shoves me through.

* * *

"Your Dad did what?" I cannot believe this.

"He kicked me out Bell. Disowned me really." Victor was picking at his fingernail's again.

"Then how are you here? I mean shouldn't you be working or something? How are you going to survive?" All I can picture is Victor out on the streets living out of some cardboard box and shivering with a sign asking for spare change.

"Your friend Alice gave me a job at her family's shop. There's a small two bedroom apartment upstairs that I share with Alice."

"Alice?"

"Brandon." I must have still looked confused because he sighed. "Seriously, Isabella you've cheered with the girl for three years. Isn't the cheer captain supposed to know everyone on the team?" Uh oh, he only called me Isabella when he was annoyed.

"Well actually the school votes on who they think the cheer captain should be since she is essentially a representation of the school. However, I think I only got it because James is the quarterba-"

"Bella! She's a short girl with dark hair, cute face, and talks nonstop."

"You mean Alex?"

"Her name is Alice."

"Oh." Well now I feel bad. I've been calling her Alex for years. She never corrected me. Maybe she likes being called Alex.

"She looks up to you. That's probably why she never corrected you. Talked about you nonstop. If I didn't know for a fact she was fucking one of the mechanics I might've said she had a serious crush on you."

"I do. In a completely non-homosexual way." A petite girl with small features and long dark hair sat her lunch tray by Vic and took the seat next to him. "Where's James?"

"He doesn't have this lunch block."

"Oh. I'm Alice by the way." She reaches out her hand for me to shake and I hesitantly take it.

"I know. We cheer together right?"

"Yes, but you always call me Alex." I feel my face heat up. "It's okay. I never thought you were doing it to be spiteful. You confuse the other girl's names all the time. You call Lauren-Jessica and Jessica-Angela. At least I was always Alex."

"Well the other girls are so blonde. It gets confusing." I know I must be the color of the tomatoes in my salad right now.

"Angela isn't blonde."

"Oh."

"It's fine. You always have your head stuck in a book while you're at practice so you don't notice much. Plus, I'm not ever sure their boyfriends know their names." She smiles warmly at me before starting to eat her food.

"Thank you for giving Victor a job. That was really nice of you."

"It's not a problem. The guys needed a new secretary since the other evening secretary quit after Seth and Cullen dropped her ass. I figured the best way to keep the guys out of the secretary's pants is to get someone who was completely not their type."

"I sure wish I was though." Victor got this dreamy look in his eyes. "Cullen and the others are the best looking murderers I've ever seen." Alice elbowed him in the ribs.

"Murderers! You work for murderers?!" Vic's eyes got wide like he just realized what he said.

"The shop is owned by the Moon Reapers Motorcycle Club." Alice tried to explain, but she was only making it worse. Everyone in town knew about the Mooners. They had to been linked to every crime within a fifty mile radius of Forksdale especially the murders. We never see them much in town. They prefer to prefer to stay around Push located just outside the city limits.

"I thought it was your family's car shop."

"It is. My father is the club president. The shop was started by the club's founding members." She looks proud of this and I am unable to hold back a snort. She glares.

"Are you sure you're safe with people like that?" Vic rolls his eyes while Alice looks offended and continues to glares at me.

"He's fine. They don't do anything illegal. People just like to start rumors. Besides all he does is answer the phone at their car shop." Alice continues to glare, and glare back. She will not make me feel bad for being concerned for a friend.

"If he ends up shot and dumped in some shallow grave I'm going to personally blame you since you put him in this position." Before Alice can respond Victor jumps in.

"Ladies, ladies, retract the claws." He looks at me. "Bella. Nothing is going to happen to me." He turns to Alice. "Alice. Bells is just being protective."

"Whatever. I liked her better when she thought I was Alex." Alice picks up her half eaten tray and stalks off.

"I don't like her." Vic lets out an exhausted sigh.

"Isabella, I'm not sure you like anyone."

"I like you and James. Everyone else just exhaust me."

"You haven't tried to like anyone else." He gives me a pointed look.

"I tried to like her. I thanked her for giving you a job."

"Then you pretty much insulted her family, who I work for."

"You shouldn't be working there."

"It pays well and puts a roof over my head."

"Well now I just feel bad."

"Good. Apologize to her."

"No."

"She liked you Bella. I'm sure if you apologized then all will be forgiven. She may even end up being a better friend than me."

"First of all, she liked Isabella. Not me. There's a difference. Second, there is no better friend than you. Third, I need to go to the library to get a book before gym class." I kiss his cheek.

"Eventually you are going to tell me all about your sex life!" Victor yells causing me to laugh as I'm exciting the cafeteria.**  
**

* * *

"You lying little bitch!" Victor yells at me from the passenger side of my car. I offered to give him a ride to Push after cheerleading practice. He jumped at the chance to get me alone and grill me about James and I.

"I'm telling you the truth. Absolutely nothing."

"No petting?"

I shake my head.

"No even over the clothes?"

I shake my head.

"Damn. Does he think you want to wait?"

"Nope. We've done other stuff. Some stuff you mentioned."

"Which ones?" I felt my face flush.

"Bella Marie! Did you grab James' pecker?" Victor finds this hysterical. "Did he like it?"

I nod.

"But he won't touch your pussycat?"

"He says he's nervous because he's never done it before. He wants it to be good for me."

"How does he expect to get better if ya'll don't practice?"

"He was hoping maybe I could show him."

"Holy shit! He wants you to pet your kitty for him!" Victor's laughter has him in tears.

"I'm not doing that to myself! It's gross!"

"I'm not going to disagree with you there honey. I saw a vagina once and I almost threw up. It's unnatural what ya'll have going on down there." He gestures to my thighs.

"At least we don't have some strange extra appendage hanging off of us."

"Yeah. Well, we don't bleed from said appendage. Nothing should be able to bleed for five to seven days and live. Are you sure women are human?"

"A woman made you."

"Point taken." Vic fiddles with the radio before telling me where to turn.

The car shop is quite large and had three garage doors that are currently opening allowing customers to bring their cars into the shop. Attached to the shop is a two story building that must house the office and apartment Vic was talking about.

"The front is strictly for working on cars. Motorcycles drive around to the back where there is another entrance from the employee parking lot. We get a lot more motorcycle repairs than cars though." Victor explains.

"Big surprise since it's owned by a motorcycle gang." I say with an eye roll. Suddenly my eyes catch something in my peripheral vision that looks oddly familiar.

It's a man with deep brown hair that almost has a red tint to it and emerald eyes. I've seen him before. Several times actually, but never up close.

"Who's that?" I asked gesturing in the man's direction.

"Grim."

"What a strange name."

"It's short for Grim Reaper. They all have nicknames they go by to people associated with the club. Those not associated call him Masen. You should not call him anything." Victor says giving me a pointed look like he meant business.

"I wasn't planning on it. He just looks familiar."

"Well make him unfamiliar. He's dangerous. I know Alice said that the club isn't involved with anything illegal but he definitely has in the past."

"Like what?" He shakes his head like he can't talk about it.

"Just steer clear of him. Okay, Bella Bean?" I nod and he gives me a kiss on the cheek before exiting my car. I look up to find Big Bad Grimy watching us and laugh with some other guys that were also looking at me. I can't decide if they are laughing at me specifically, laughing at Victor, or a combination of both; but, I don't like it. At all. Before realizing it I had lifted my middle finger in their direction. I have never flipped anyone off in my life. What is wrong with me?

I quickly threw my car in reverse and sped out of there.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"Do you ever think about what happens after this?" James asks as we lie on my roof together and stare up at the stars. He'd taken off his jacket and tie after we slipped away unnoticed.

Drunken laughter filtering up from the dinner party my parents are having as I contemplate how to answer him.

"We go home. Well you go home since I'm already home." I know he means something deeper than what happens after his party, but I have no other response because I don't know the answer to anything deeper.

"No. I mean after high school. What happens? Do we just wait around until we eventually become our parents?" We both shudder.

"I wouldn't mind being Charlie, but Renee…" I shiver.

"I can't imagine being either of my parents. They're both so…so…superficial. They're real but they're not. Ya know?" I nod my head in response.

"You want to know why Charlie got custody of me?" We never really talk about my life before Forksdale. It never seemed relevant.

"Sure?"

"It was the summer before fifth grade so I must have been eight. We lived in Phoenix in this shabby little yellow house in a neighborhood that was completely falling apart, and so were most of the residents. I swear we were the only household there not over sixty-five, but Renee loved it and loved the people. I don't remember her ever working but with all the sick and elderly people in our neighborhood they would pay her to do odd jobs around their house. Her favorite assignments were those that had to do with gardening, because she was great at it and it made her happy. She had this huge garden in our backyard filled with all kinds of flowers and a little stream. She also had a greenhouse that I was forbidden to go into, but the elderly people in our neighborhood would come and go from the greenhouse nonstop. Then one day we came home from the park and the police were there. They took Renee away and said I had to go live with Charlie."

I feel an ache in my heart for out little yellow house with white shutters. It always reminded me of sunshine and happiness when I was younger. I told Renee once that our house was like the sun since all the other houses in our neighborhood were brown or white. She agreed. So much so that we painted our front door orange with a bright yellow sun.

"She was a dealer?" James asks, bringing me out of my memory.

"Sort of. She didn't sell marijuana. She just gave it away to those people in our neighborhood that needed it. It some of the more serve cancer cases marijuana has been known to help patient cope. I wouldn't mind being that Renee."

"How is she not in jail?"

"I'm pretty sure Charlie pulled some strings, but she told me once over the phone that since she wasn't selling it to the public she got a lesser charge. She had to do a lot of community service. That's how she met Phil. She volunteered at one of his public speaking events in Phoenix."

"I think I remember Phil talking about that before. He said she blinded him. He had never seen someone who wore so many bright colors." We both laugh a little at how absurd that sound now. Renee only wears black and white now. She calls them 'the colors of sophistication',

"She was a sight to see back then."

"I don't think my parents have ever been anything but who they are now. They grew up in this town and never left. Forksdale is their kingdom that, along with their friends, they rule over with an iron fist. The people here respect them. Fear them even. Fear what their money and power can do." I look over at him, but he is still looking up at the stars longingly.

"Do you think we'll ever leave here?"

"No." It hurts to hear, but I know he's right. Our families would never allow us to leave. Our parents essentially defined us. We were their puppets. Dolls that they designed and show off just to show how much more powerful and influential they were compare to others.

I suppose we could always do something to shame them so they no longer felt the need to put us on display. But that was even scarier. Because if we weren't our parents puppets then who were we?

We didn't know. A puppet without a puppeteer is nothing but an empty wooden toy, and that's what we were scared of, the emptiness.

"I've decided to forgive you." Ale-Alice said as she plopped down next to me on the green grass of the football field, and completely disrupting me from my book. We were supposed to be stretching before the game in about an hour, but all I've seen the other girls do is check out the football team as they warm

"Okay." I should probably care more than I did.

"It's not your fault people start rumors about my family. I mean I hear rumors about your family all the time. The difference is that I don't believe them. I mean people say your dad sent you here because some criminal put a hit out on you in Seattle, but do I believe them? No, because that's just illogical. My point is that you can't believe everything you hear. Like my family being murde-"

"That's true."

"What? My fam-"

"Not that. The hit. It's true. That's why I got sent here." Her eyes got wide, and she opens and closes her mouth a few times, at a loss for words.

"I guess that didn't prove my point then."

"Nope." She didn't ask a question, but I responded anyways just because I still don't like her.

"Ugh! Why do you make it so hard to be your friend?" I shrug her off and return to my book hoping that she will realize that she is dismissed. "Whatever, the club is having a party tomorrow night."

I don't respond still hoping that she will go away.

"I want you to come. Meet the crew. It might make you feel better about Vicky working there."

Vicky? He hates it when people call him that.

"No." She glares and finally leaves to go talk Angela. Who, thanks to Alice, I know is the other brunette on the squad.

"I'll call you tomorrow. We can go get lunch at the weird place with raw fish you like." James says as he walks me to the door.

"Okay, but are you sure you wouldn't rather do something tonight? I mean my parents won't be home for a while and you just won a big game. We should _celebrate_." I slide my hands up his arms and lock them behind his neck to lightly pull on the hair there. He groans and I pull him down towards me, but he pulls away before I can capture his lips with mine.

"You know my dad likes to go over game film with me after every game. Win or lose." I roll my eyes causing him to laugh. Then he kisses my forehead before heading back to his car.

I wait until I see his taillights leave our street before letting out a frustrated scream. I mean is it me? Boys usually want 'celebrate' with their girlfriends all the time even if it was just making out. I commend him for being so committed to football, but he doesn't even like his father. I'm his freaking girlfriend!

It was until I heard the faint sound of laughter that I realized I had stomped my foot and crossed my arms.

"Looks like pouting won't get you your way tonight Princess." I snap my head in the direction of the voice and am met with the emerald eyes of that Grim character smoking a cigarette against his motorcycle parked in my neighbor's driveway wearing a white shirt with a black crow on it and loose hanging jeans. If I wasn't so startled by his presence I might've thought he was beautiful.

"You're trespassing."

"Old friend." He tilts his head toward the large house behind him.

"Well then, you shouldn't be spying on his neighbors." I pull my arms tighter around myself as if they could protect me from his calculating gaze.

"Then you shouldn't be so entertaining." I glare at him, but he just smirks. "Are you going to flip me off then run away now? Or do you only do that when you're tucked away safe and sound in your fancy care?"

"You were laughing at me."

"You were funny." I roll my eyes.

"I'm going inside." I don't know why I felt the need to announce it like it was some sort of invitation. Was it an invitation? I didn't really know. As much as this man unnerved me the thought of him coming inside me didn't completely repulse me.

"That an invitation?" He took a long drag from his cigarette and raised an eyebrow in my direction.

"No." As soon as the word left my lips I feel a pit in my stomach almost like….regret? But not regret because I don't regret saying 'No'. It was the right choice….the only choice. The pit was for my situation with James earlier. It had to be.

"Too bad."

"I just thought I would let your entertainment is leaving so you should go find something else to do."

"If you would invite me in then I could find plenty of things for us to do. I should warn you though. You'll probably end up screaming again." I feel my face heat up as he winks at me.

"I meant you should go find another girl to spy on."

"Nah. I like spying on you. Especially in that uniform." I feel his eyes travel over me and try hard not to shudder. I knew I should've changed out of my cheerleading uniform.

"I'm underage."

"Not for long." He's right my birthday is coming up.

"Are you stalking me or something?"

"Hmm… Or something." He says with a shrug.

"You're strange." I say before turning to unlock to front door.

"So are you Princess." I hear him say before I shut the door firmly behind me.

That might've be the weirdest and hottest encounter I've ever had.


End file.
